Marilyn – the ‘Greens’ lady

By Bibi Khatoon

“Giving away time, giving away time!”

“Get your fresh greens, Fresh greens every day, fresh greens!”

Those were the chants of 56-year-old Marilyn Kwok as she and ‘Rambo’ walk from their village, Tempe, to Onverwagt on the West Coast of Berbice and back on a daily basis to sell fruits and vegetables or what is currently referred to as “greens” in the countryside.

She is someone who customers look forward to seeing on a daily basis.

“I sell every day, Sunday, Holiday, 365 days a year, every day I sell. Because you see greens (vegetables) business, you can’t do it today and don’t do it tomorrow, you going to get a lot of spoilage and so,” Marilyn pointed out.

She told News Room that she would usually purchase her fruits and vegetables from the Rosignol market every morning before embarking on her journey to do the job which she loves.

Marilyn began selling over 20 years ago to maintain herself and family. She said she started off with “small cart, a four-wheel cart,” before she was advised to purchase a donkey and a cart.

She noted that she has changed many donkeys in the past 20 years and her most recent partner is named “Rambo.”

“I change donkeys though…I normally buy a new donkey when this one tired working because when it’s tired, it lie down when we going,” she laughingly noted.

Marilyn added that “my grandson telling me now ‘time for you to throw away this cart and buy a new one.’ I say ‘who gon drive it? I got to pay driver,” something which she cannot afford at this point.